Friendship
by Jak's Angel
Summary: ReeveX Tseng. Nothing Graphic until later chapters. Reeve reflects on his deceased best friend Tseng.
1. A friendship begins..

I'm just an ordinary guy. Anyone who saw me on the streets wouldn't look at me twice. I'm just there, a part of the scenery, everyday at seven, half running to catch the train. No matter how early I set off, I usually end up running to avoid being late for work.  
  
I live on a tight schedule. Up every morning at six, in the shower, clamber into my uniform, chug down some coffee, grab my briefcase and out the door at seven, in order to catch the 7:15 train to ShinRa HQ.  
  
I hate my work. I always have, but it was the only way to make a living, no one else would take me on. Ever since my parents died.....  
  
Although I work at ShinRa, I'm working undercover for AVALANCHE, a terrorist group against the ShinRa. I send them information via Cait Sith, so they know what the ShinRa are up to. They tried to destroy them a while back, but after a massive fight for the planet, ShinRa lost it's President, but Scarlet and Palmer took over. So, unfortunately, ShinRa still exists.  
  
Enough on that. My workplace, it was a total surprise. You see, I've always been bullied in school, and now my work.  
  
I've always been small and thin for my age, and it didn't help that I'm incredibly shy. The boys used to beat me up, and the girls........well they were the worst, they teased me. Made jokes, and stupid remarks. I hated them.  
  
But, at ShinRa, it's worse. The taunts are more threatening, the beatings harder, and no possible way that I could give it up. But, there is, or rather was light in my life.  
  
The Turks. For some reason, the tough talking Turks stuck up for me.  
  
Reno, he's still around. We don't see each other much, but he's one of my closest friends. One of my only friends.  
  
Rude, he was quiet, like me but yet no one dared touch him. Except for AVALANCHE. They killed him, to stop the rocket leaving Rocket Town. He was a good friend to have, although we were not that close.  
  
Elena, a bright, easily excitable Turk. She always stuck up for me, severely arguing with those who didn't agree with her. But, she's really gone to pieces since.......since Tseng died. Which brings me to my most closest friend ever, Tseng.  
  
He was so different from other people that I had met. He liked me, genuinely liked me. The other Turks, would tease me lightly about my appearance, but Tseng never did.  
  
He was so good looking, we made an odd pair of friends. He was handsome, with amazing grey eyes and beautiful straight black hair......and I have plain blue eyes, and scruffy black hair.  
  
He was tall and muscular, and I'm short and skinny. The differences were endless. Why he liked me I guess that I'll never know......  
  
TWO YEARS AGO...............  
  
The hysterical, drunken laughing reached Tseng's ears even from a good way down the hall. He sighed, and marched down the corridor to the men's cloakroom.  
  
He banged open the door, and the noise died down instantly, several young men clutching bottles of beer. A group of them seemed to be gathered by the back wall. Tseng glared at them.  
  
"Move"  
  
Instantly, the men backed away, revealing a young man, beaten up and leaning against the wall, moaning. Tseng snapped.  
  
"All of you, leave this room! Go back to your quarters, I will speak with you tomorrow!" he commanded. The man gave a series of obedient squeaks and ran out, leaving Tseng alone with the victim. He gave a comforting smile, and crouched down next to the terrified man.  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
The man swallowed deeply, but just ended up shaking his head. Tseng sighed deeper, and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.  
  
"I'm so sorry. We seem to of had a very immature group of new employees this year. So, what's your name?"  
  
"Reeve, sir" he managed to choke out. Tseng extended his hand, and helped him up.  
  
Nervously, Reeve brushed down his suit, breathing harshly.  
  
Tseng grabbed his shoulders, and peered down into his dark blue eyes.  
  
"Reeve? Are you ok?!" he repeated, feeling Reeve's rapid breathing echo through his tiny body. Reeve closed his eyes tight, shaking his head.  
  
"Asthma attack....." he gasped, nearly in tears. Tseng glanced round the room.  
  
"Don't you have an inhaler?" he began, before seeing the smashed remains of Reeve's inhaler on the floor, crudely stamped apart by some oafs foot.  
  
"Oh no....." he muttered, feeling the anger boil up inside of him.  
  
Reeve was nearly bent double, his face turning blue from the lack of air, tears running freely down his face. He looked up bleary eyed at Tseng, his only hope.  
  
"Tseng......sir.......please help me" he pleaded. Tseng looked round wildly, looking for anything.  
  
"C'mon, I'll get you to the Medic Wing. They have to have something there, Reeve"  
  
The younger man nodded, and started walking to the door, slowly screwing his face up in pain with each step he took.  
  
Tseng shook his head. He draped one of Reeve's arms around his shoulders, and wrapped one of his arms around his waist.  
  
"Just lean on me. You won't make it if you don't"  
  
Reeve could only nod weakly, looking up at his hero, his savoir.  
  
I remember that day well. It was horrible, I really thought that I was going to die. Tseng saved me, protected me. And, if that wasn't enough, afterwards he visited me in the Hospital Wing, and he told me something, something that changed my life for ever....  
  
Tseng looked sadly at the pale, pitiful figure that lay back in the bed. Reeve gave him a weak smile.  
  
"Good......evening.....sir" he whispered weakly. Tseng gave him a smile.  
  
"Good evening Reeve" he replied, "I spoke to President Shinra......and he agrees with me that you should be promoted"  
  
Reeve sat up.  
  
"Promoted!!?! But I......." Tseng held up a hand to stop him.  
  
"Take it easy. You're mature beyond your years......and we need a technical expert. So. interested?"  
  
Reeve nodded, wide eyed.  
  
"Thank you sir" Tseng laughed, and patted Reeve's hand consolingly.  
  
"Well, get better soon. I'll try come and see you again, ok?" 


	2. Pushed to the limits...

He was so nice, my first true friend. The only one who ever cared about me. I wonder why he cared so much? Everyone respected him, even President ShinRa. There was something about him......a mature air, yet you knew that he would look after you, be friends with you. I though of him as a God, too good to be human. Until, one day. The day I found out that he was like other people...........  
  
"Tseng? Tseng!?!" repeated Reeve, knocking patiently on the door. After no answer, Reeve carefully pushed open the door to reveal Tseng, head buried in his arms, face down on the desk, sobbing quietly. Reeve paused, and was about to leave when his good nature got in the way.  
  
"Tseng" Reeve called softly, walking over to his desk. Tseng carefully lifted his head, his face tinged from crying. His eyes took in Reeve, and he nodded at him.  
  
".......Reeve......." he said, shaking his head. Reeve stepped forwards, and looked straight into Tseng's tear-filled eyes.  
  
"Tseng......what's wrong?"  
  
For the first time, Reeve noticed that his boss's clothes were torn, and he bore a deep cut on one arm.  
  
"Tseng....what happened?! Who did this to you?"  
  
Tseng gulped deeply, and shakily raised a hand to his eyes.  
  
"Professor Hojo.....he......" he whispered, breaking down into fresh sobs. Reeve placed both hands on his boss's shoulders and knelt down in front of him.  
  
"He.....he did what Tseng?" he asked gently. Tseng bit his lip.  
  
"He....raped me"  
  
Hojo raped Tseng! I can't believe that he could do that to someone so beautiful, so kind. I was so angry. He hurt my best friend, in a way that couldn't possibly be repaired. I couldn't even find the words to console him, but he seemed to be comforted by my just 'being there'.  
  
For a long while after that, Tseng just stayed in his room, not eating, not sleeping, scared stiff that Hojo would come and attack him again. I brought him food and drink, which he just managed to eat and drink, not even quarter of what I brought him, but enough.  
  
Finally, under President Shinra's orders, he left his room, and was sent to the top floor. I was present, he refused to enter without me. I never knew why, but I guess Shinra really wanted him in there.  
  
"Tseng, you do realise that you have refused to leave your room for over a month?" the large man questioned, seated comfortably behind his desk. Tseng saluted, then hung his head.  
  
"Yes Sir"  
  
"And may I ask why? You have a job to do"  
  
Tseng kept his head bowed, his long dark hair hiding his face. Reeve hesitated, and stepped forwards.  
  
"He was ill, Sir"  
  
The President cast a surprised glare in his direction.  
  
"And you are....oh, that young Technician. And why did you not bring this matter to our attention?"  
  
Reeve stopped short, at a loss for words.  
  
"I made him, Sir. I made him promise not to tell. I thought it was just a common cold, but it unexpectedly developed into a virus"  
  
The President looked at him, and cocked his head.  
  
"Are you feeling better now?"  
  
"Yes Sir, much. Reeve looked after me"  
  
"And I trust that you'll be back to work on Monday?"  
  
"Yes Sir"  
  
He stuck up for me, or rather as he said later on we both stuck up for each other. He didn't want anyone to know about what Hojo did to him. He was embarrassed and ashamed of it.  
  
I, on the other hand was livid. It seemed as if we'd swapped places as I marched down to Hojo's lab, in the basement of the ShinRa mansion of Nibleheim. I would soon regret it.  
  
Reeve eyed the two SOLIDERS in the tubes, staring at him with a look of helplessness behind their Mako eyes. He shuddered, and went past them, into the seedy underbelly of Hojo's lab.  
  
"Hojo?! Where are you?!" he yelled angrily, kicking aside overflowing boxes of files. He clenched his fists, and moved further down the corridor.  
  
Suddenly, with a huge bellowing cry, the professor body slammed against Reeve, sending him to the floor.  
  
Winded, all Reeve could do was watch desperately, trying to get his breath back as Hojo stood over him.  
  
"Hmm, another young man who wants to challenge Hojo" he said, his eyes glittering, " But, like that other young fool, you will regret what you have tried to do"  
  
Reeve quickly got unsteadily to his feet, and wavered slightly, before breaking into a full scale attack at Hojo.  
  
At the speed of light, Hojo caught his arms under Reeve's leg and flipped him over hard onto his back.  
  
Reeve grimaced in pain, and he could only just stop himself from crying out. Hojo yanked him up by the shoulders and threw him into the nearest table, books and testubes went crashing over him. Reeve gave a sharp gasp, and fainted, his body lying limp against the wall. Hojo smiled cruelly, and started walking over to him.  
  
"Stop there Hojo" cried Tseng, cocking his gun. Hojo raised his arms, and turned to face him.  
  
"My pretty little boy isn't so innocent now" he sneered, indicating to his gun , "Why are you so upset, my pretty?"  
  
"Leave Reeve alone!" yelled Tseng, aiming the gun at Hojo's heart. Hojo smiled falsely, and backed away from Reeve's fallen body. He glared icily at Tseng before making a run for it, and sprinted out of the room.  
  
Tseng lowered his gun, and went over to Reeve. He crouched down beside him and caressed his cheek.  
  
"I'm so sorry Reeve" he whispered, a tear running down his face. 


	3. Love's Final Leap

I woke up severely injured in Junon General Hospital. I was covered in wires, tubes and god knows what else. My arm hurt really badly, and I was scared. I was alone, or so I thought at first. When I turned my head, I saw Tseng asleep in a chair next to my bed.  
He looked really knackered. But, he also looked so peaceful, so beautiful even in his sleep that I couldn't help smiling.  
He stayed by my side for the whole 2 weeks I was hospitalised. I was surprised, and very touched. He did it for me, a true friend.  
Everything returned to normal for a while, work day in day out, nothing changed. Until.....well, one day ShinRa got the biggest shock of it's life. One of the most terrifying days of my life.  
  
Reeve looked over at his companions sullen face, and fell silent. Tseng sat forward, with his head bowed, not saying a word.  
"Reeve! Important executive meeting, now!" called Scarlet, shimmying her way into the meeting room.  
Reeve cast one last glance at Tseng before following her. He sat, and waited for President Shinra to start the meeting.  
"I have called this meeting on the celebration of finally capturing the last Ancient, plus the destroying of Sector 7. Reeve, you have something to add on that?"  
Reeve nodded, and slowly stood up.  
"We have the damage estimates for Sector 7. Considering those factories we already set up and all the investments, the damage is estimated at approximately 10 Billion gil..." he began, feeling a strange sense of someone else watching him, "The estimated cost to rebuild Sector 7 is..."   
"We're not rebuilding" the President cut in smartly. Reeve was taken aback.  
"What?" he stammered. The President looked at him.  
"We're leaving Sector 7 as it is. And restarting the Neo-Midgar plan."   
Reeve blinked.  
"...then the Ancients?"   
"The Promised Land will soon be ours. I want you to raise the Mako rates 15% in every area." the President replied.  
Palmer lept up, and started jumping from foot to foot.  
"Rate hike! Rate hike! Tra, la, la! And please include our Space Program in the budget!" he exclaimed happily. The President sighed.  
"Reeve and Scarlet will divide the extra income from the rate increase."   
With a loud moan, Palmer sat back down.  
"Oh man!"   
"Sir, if you raise the rates, the people will lose confidence" declared Reeve angrily. The President shrugged, and an all knowing smile flickered across his face.  
"It'll be all right. The ignorant citizens won't lose confidence, they'll trust Shinra, Inc. even more."   
The President's side kick, Heidegger suddenly laughed out loud.  
"Ha ha ha! After all, we're the ones who saved Sector 7 from AVALANCHE!"   
As Reeve through a disgusted glare in his direction, the door opened and Hojo slunk in. Reeve gave a frightened gasp, and he stared away from him, looking out of the huge window over Midgar.  
"........" (Ancients?) he thought, puzzled. "........" (Didn't Tseng say something about an Ancient?)  
"That concludes our meeting." the President announced sharply. Reeve shook himself back alert, and followed the others out of the room. He glanced over nervously at Hojo talking with the President, then kneeled in front of Tseng.  
"Tseng?" he whispered," Are you ok?"  
Tseng glanced up, his tear filled, ice blue eyes meeting Reeve's comforting forest green eyes. His mouth opened slightly, but only a half choked sob came out.  
Reeve widened his eyes, and took Tseng's hand.  
"C'mon" he said in a low whisper, "Don't cry here"  
Tseng nodded mutely, and allowed himself to be led into Reeve's small and untidy office. He shakily sat down in the soft leather chair in front of Reeve's desk, as Reeve took his usual office chair behind the desk.  
The room grew silent apart from Tseng's heart breaking sobs. Reeve hesitated, before leaning across the desk and taking Tseng's hands in his.  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
Tseng nodded slowly, and held Reeve's hands tighter.  
"I'm.....I'm an evil bastard!" he whispered angrily, squeezing his eyes shut. Momentarily taken aback, Reeve leant forwards even more, his face inches away from Tseng's own.  
"Don't call yourself that Tseng" he pleaded gently, caressing Tseng's cheek, "You're not"  
Tseng nodded again.  
"I am Reeve. That Ancient, Aeris.....I hit her. I was really cruel, evil. I don't deserve to live"  
Reeve paused, and before he could say anything, Tseng started talking again.  
"And, that's not all. A-a few years ago, I shot a fellow Turk. I shot him, and allowed Hojo to experiment on him. I, I didn't even try to help him"  
Reeve opened his mouth to speak, when Tseng's pager bleeped to life. Sniffling, his drew it out, and looked at it.  
"Disturbance, on the 66th floor" he sighed, and got up out of his chair. Reeve watched him leave, then rested his head in his arms.  
  
That's when I started to go down hill. When Tseng showed me what a true friend he was, he stopped me from doing the most stupidest thing of my life.  
  
"Reeve!? What are you doing?" exclaimed Tseng, startling the younger man as he came through the door. He dropped a few small white pills on the floor and spilled his coffee.  
"Tseng.....it-it's not what it looks like"  
Tseng crouched down and sniffed one of the pills gingerly.  
"What does it look like Reeve?! What the hell do you want to take these for?!"  
"To keep up, I can't be fired, I can't"  
Tseng stood back up, and grabbed Reeve's shoulders.  
"Don't! Believe me, that won't help you at all" he whispered angrily, grabbing Reeve's wrist, "Look how thin you're getting! Those pills are killing you Reeve!"  
"They stop me from sleeping...."  
"And from eating! Look" said Tseng, dropping his tone, "I really, really care about you. Please, don't destroy yourself like this"  
Reeve glanced up at Tseng's eyes and collapsed against him.  
"I'm so sorry Tseng, I don't know what to do anymore"  
  
Mostly bad memories I know. But, in these darkened times, that's all I can remember. I have forgotten the feel of happiness, and this brings me onto Tseng's death.  
Sephiroth killed him, he took him away from the Temple of the Ancients. We never found his body, but Cloud and Tifa said that he had been stabbed by Sephiroth's masamune.  
It was then I realised that.....that I loved him. More than friends, like....a team, a couple.  
It was too late now.   
I stand alone, looking up at the polluted night sky. I see a few diamond stars shining through, determined to flood the world in their beauty. I gulp, and the next time I open my eyes, the world has gone blurry. I feel the tears trickle down my face and drip onto the floor. I don't care. All I want is for Tseng to come back, to be alive again. So I can tell him that I love him.  
I can't take it anymore! I put one leg over the railing, and hoist myself other the other side. Now there is nothing between me and that very long drop into the ocean.  
As the wind blew my hair away from my face, I felt myself tense up.  
But, I wanted to be with Tseng again. To be held by him, to be comforted by him. I reluctantly let one hand go of the railing. My throat seized up and I let the tears flow freely now. One hand left......  
I let go. For a split second I hung suspended in the air, not touching anything. I felt free, for the first time in a long while. Time seemed to freeze for a few fleeting moments.  
Then, I fell. 


End file.
